Debunking Cleaning Myths

Organic.  Non-Toxic. No GMOs.  Every where you turn, people are trying to avoid the toxic chemicals in their homes.  There are some good old fashioned cleaning tips which have fallen by the wayside in this fast paced world.

Here are some of those tried and true cleaning solutions our grandmothers probably used:

1. Cleaning and unclogging pipes.

Pour four teaspoons of baking soda into the sink, then add a cup of vinegar. If fizziness and bubbles arise, rinse it down with hot water and your pipe will be unclogged.  I know this one works because we have used it when we are out of Drano.  Cheaper and always on hand.

 

2. Cleaning pots with tomato sauce

Tomato sauce as a cleaning product … who knew? Stainless steel pots usually have a layer of copper, where copper oxide is formed during cooking. The tomato sauce contains acetic acid, which attacks the copper active base of the pan. Apply a thick layer of sauce on the base of the pan and let it work its magic for 30 minutes. Then wipe it away and watch the black stains disappear right before your eyes.

3. Plants help get rid of dust.

Dust appears everywhere, even after having cleaned it away 10 minutes ago. The good news is plants can help!  They not only bring life to the living room, BUT they also filter the pollutants from our air and provide us with fresh oxygen. Plants such as ferns and orchids catch the floating dust in the air on their leaves and can be wiped off with a damp cloth.

4. Sparkling water removes stains 

Another stain on your shirt? Quickly grab a bottle with sparkling water or soda and let the carbon dioxide dissolve the colour and tannins from the fabric.  This doesn’t work for fat or oil stains!  To use this method, saturate the spot and blot it up with a dry and absorbent cloth in a circular motion- always dab, never rub.

5. Lemon juice makes your exhaust duct shine 

The exhaust duct in the kitchen is a magnet for odors and oil stains. To remove the sticky spots, cut the lemon in half and rub it all over the metal surface. The acid quickly and efficiently removes fats and oils. For stubborn stains, add a few drops of detergent on a cloth and gently rub the stains away. Avoid the use of stainless steel sponges, as they tend to scratch the hood, making it shine even less than before.

6. Clean silver jewelry and silverware with toothpaste.

Is your silver jewelry starting to look dull? Just like your teeth, it turns out toothpaste is the perfect solution for silverware. Get your trusty toothpaste (not gel) out of the bathroom and scrub the ornaments with a toothbrush. Rinse the toothpaste off by dipping the silverware into a cup of warm water. The oxidized silver particles will be quickly washed away and your jewelry will start to shine again.

What is your best cleaning tip that was passed down in your family?  Share it with us.

Have an Epic day!

 

Household Items You Should Toss

Thank you Real Simple for today’s post….

Fall is time for seasonal cleaning, right?  I grew up on when homes were deep cleaned at least every season – spring, summer, winter and fall.  We sorted through clothes, moved furniture and got things ready for the next season (decorating, changing curtains, etc).  In the hectic world we live in, I’m not so sure it happens anymore but there are definitely some things which should be tossed on a periodic basis….if you hang onto these household staples longer than you should, and you risk spreading germs, dirt, or dust around your entire home. YUK!  The good news: replacing these household essentials shouldn’t take long at all and cost very little.  So, tack this onto your weekend to-do list and avoid all of the icky consequences of keeping these items around.

Kitchen Sponges

I’m sure you know this and if you didn’t, I’m sure you can SMELL when these get nasty.  The reality is porous kitchen sponges are the ultimate breeding ground for germs. New research shows the old cleaning-sponges-in-the-microwave trick doesn’t really work, the only solution is to replace your sponge more often. You’ll avoid spreading E. coli and salmonella to every dish you think you’re washing—making it well-worth stocking up on this cleaning essential.How often should you replace it? It is recommended at least once a week. Or consider an alternative sponge, like Norwex’s Envirosponge (one of my favorites)  The soft EnviroCloth microfiber side also has the ability to remove up to 99% of bacteria from a surface when following the proper
care and use instructions.  The best part, it can be used repeatedly; use, wash and use again, no need to continually reach for a new sponge or dispose of old one

Bed Pillows

Research shows after two years of use (how long have you had your pillows?), more than one-third the weight of the pillow is actually comprised of dust mites (both living and dead) and dead skin. If this doesn’t make you want to toss your pillow out the window immediately, we don’t know what will.
How often should you replace them? A synthetic pillow you have never washed, plan to replace it about every 6 months. If you wash your synthetic or down pillows at least twice a year (here’s the best method), they should last up to 3 years.

Shower Loofah

A loofah is basically your shower’s equivalent of the kitchen sponge. YUK!!! Luckily, it doesn’t need to be clean enough to eat off of, but its crevices do harbor bacteria, which the moist environment of the shower helps to grow.
How often should you replace it? Replace a plastic loofah about every two months. Besides spreading bacteria, they will also tend to lose their shape, which defeats their exfoliating abilities.  An alternative is Norwex’s Body Scrub Mitt. This product will help you to uncover fresh, new and glowing skin as it removes dead skin cells, revealing beautiful, smoother skin with just one hand.  Best part, you can wash and use it again.

Water Filter

If you have a refrigerator with a built-in water filter, chances are you don’t replace the filter as often as you should. When it isn’t replaced often enough, the filter can’t do its job of separating out impurities from your family’s drinking water. Even if you don’t notice a difference in taste, mineral buildup could be slowing down the flow of water.  Maybe you don’t have one of these and you have a Brita filter system…. the ones where you put water in the top, it filters out the junk and you keep it in the fridge so you have cold fresh water all the time.  Do you replace this filter as often as it says on the box?  Probably not.  How often should you replace them? Check the guidelines for your refrigerator model, but many brands recommend replacing the filter every 6 months or so.  If you use a Brita, I think it is at least once a month!

Old Plastic Containers

When shopping for plastic food storage containers nowadays, you’ll probably notice a little sticker or note assuring you they are “BPA-free.” But BPA, a plastics chemical some believe can affect development, was once common in such containers. While the FDA reports exposure to low levels of BPA is safe, if you’re still concerned, you might want to toss out those containers you’ve had stashed for decades.  If you have “old” tupperware containers, time to trade them in for some of the new ones….Throw away older plastic containers, and invest in BPA-free options or these stylish glass alternatives.

Need some help finding some awesome “clean products”… Check out Meredyth’s Norwex website.  Never heard of Norwex???  Their mission is to “improve the quality of life by radically reducing chemicals in our homes.”  I use A LOT of their products and they do really work….

Have a blessed day!

A Little Reminder From God

Thank you Kelly Balarie for today’s message.

But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me (2 Corinthians 12:9, NIV).

I am such a mess. I hate how I am. I can’t ever get a handle on this issue.

Thoughts of self-hatred coursed through my mind as I sat on the hard-tile floor and took it all in. . . Within the cabinets I’d just spent twenty minutes rearranging, there still was no semblance of organization. Papers shot out of books. Bags heaped left and right in no particular order. Shoes and knick-knacks filled the right side of the cabinet. And, worst of all, electrical cords stood like tumbleweed in the center of it all.

Regarding cleaning and organizing, my best efforts fell – way short. And this is the problem. You see, no matter what I do, everything stays a mess. I fix things for a moment, until: my kids come home and mess things up, I get busy and I forget to keep up with it all, or clutter becomes impossible to throw out because I fear I’ll lose future-memories.

I want to be a better mom than this; my family deserves better.

With a heavy heart, I decided to approach my husband, “Uh…,” I said. “Can I share something with you?”

He waited.

“There’s an area I haven’t told you about where – all the time — I feel so angry at myself. Every time I open up a cabinet, I mentally get furious at how I feel like I’m the most unorganized woman on the planet.”

Compassionately, he looked at me and replied, “Well, maybe Jesus just wants you to remind you that His grace is sufficient.”  And He was right. I finally understood. My cabinets – and my deficiency — are a blessing, not a curse.

How could a deficiency be a blessing? Deficiencies point us to Christ’s all-sufficiency. Through them, we come to the One prepared to help us. The One with answers. The One with all the grace to accomplish true and long-lasting life-change.

Grace accomplishes far more than our hardest labor ever could. Certainly, God often calls us to meet Him in this venture by working, but work without God is — toil.

My cabinets would now be a reminder of this. They, in all their untidy-glory, would almost speak, “Kelly, invite Jesus in to help you with this.”

Where do you need to invite Jesus in? What personal issue do you hate to look at? What feels unconquerable? Heavy? Burdening?

Jesus’ grace is sufficient. It is sufficient to change you, to rework you, to remake you, and to renew you.

It is more than okay to desperately need Jesus’ grace. It is life-changing to be in need of God.

Be encouraged. Wherever you feel powerless, God is powerful. Wherever you are hungry, God has food for you. Wherever you feel blind, God restores sight. You are not left behind or forgotten. God will help.

Today, rejoice by saying: No matter where I feel deficient, Christ is all-sufficient.

But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. (2 Corinthians 12:9, NIV)

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

How To Get Your Kids to Clean Their Room

Belinda may be grown BUT I do remember the battle for her to keep her room clean – okay, even neat would have been nice.  I was grateful company never had to walk past her room to get to the bathroom or I could just close her door….  What about you?  Do you struggle to get your kids to clean up their room?  Are things tossed EVERY WHERE???

If you’re a parent, you have heard the endless excuses your kids can come up with when it’s time to clean their rooms.  From “I’ll do it later!” to “I’m too tired,” we’ve heard them all! The truth is, we probably used them ourselves at some point in our life, right?  Here are a few tricks to help make the room-cleaning battle a bit easier.

1. Set clear, realistic expectations

What is clean to us may not be clean to our kids.  We need to set age-appropriate goals to help them recognize when their room is “clean.”  For a three-year-old, a clean room could simply mean books are on the shelf, toys in their place and dirty clothes in the hamper. Yet for an eight-year-old, there could be the added responsibility of making their bed or putting clean clothes away.  The key is we need to share our expectations with our children.  Maybe even give them a list of what to do and if they can’t read, use pictures with the words.

2. Let your kids OWN their space

Belinda’s room was her room – seems like a no-brainer, right?  I let her make her own decisions but often gave her just two choices I could leave with – whether it was picking out her clothes, what color her room was or what game to play.  I never thought about giving her a .choice about where things went in  her room… It did get better once we put the closet organizer in with shelves and a spot to hang her clothes.

For some kids, putting toys, games and clothes away is never fun – except when there’s a monster involved! Here is a unique craft idea to turn Thirty One’s  Your Way® Cube or Your Way® Rectangle storage bin into a fun monster kids can keep their belongings in.

Not only does it help keep bedrooms and toy rooms neat, it makes a great decoration and an adorable gift your kids will love. I’m pretty sure this is one monster your kids will want under their beds … or in their closets!

Here is what you will need:

• 1 white sticky-back foam sheet (color optional)
• Pair of sticky-back googly eyes – size and number of eyes optional
• Scissors or craft knife
• FREE monster teeth template (Your Way® Cube and Rectangle sizes included)
• Glue stick (for other/additional design options)

How to make it:

1. Choose either a Your Way® Cube with matching Cube Lid or Your Way® Rectangle with matching Rectangle Lid in the color or print you want your monster to be.
2. Print out the monster teeth template below and cut two rows of teeth for your cube or rectangle from the sticky-back foam sheet. If you prefer, you can also design your own teeth, but be sure to measure the window or panel of your bin first.
3. Peel and stick the teeth to either the clear PVC window or chalkboard panel of your bin, aligning the flat edges to the top and bottom edge.
4. Next, identify the front-facing edge of your lid, and place it on your bin. This will help you decide on the placement of your googly eyes.
5. Now, peel and stick the eyes in place to the front-facing edge of the lid. You made a monster!

 

Add even more embellishments, if you’d like: Maybe some foam-sheet spots in a contrasting color, or eyelashes, horns, ears or a nose. Maybe even glue a little faux fur or feathers to the lid for hair!

Consider stacking up a few monster cubes to create a fun tower shape or line them up on shelves to create a monster row. The most important thing to remember is to have fun and be creative!  Click the link:  Monster Teeth Template to get the teeth

 

3. Set a good example

Kids learn by example, right?  They learn from what we do, and not from what we say.  I’m sure you have said it at least once “Do as I say, not as I do”… Admit it, we all have.  Honestly, sometimes it’s easier to say, “Clean your room!” and walk away than to actually go in and HELP our kids.  Sometimes, it takes just that!  If your child is resisting, why not get down on the floor and help.  When you do the work together, you are setting a good example of how families help each other – and it actually is a chance to spend  some quality time talking and bonding with your child.

I wish we had personalized containers like The Littles Carry-All Caddies, Mini Storage Bins and Your Way Cubes when Belinda was younger.  They are the perfect size for storing toys, extra clothes and other stuff which clutter up a child’s room. Plus, they can be personalized with your child’s name, a favorite picture or animal (using our Icon-Its) or anything else you come up with.  Have some fun with your kids and let them help in personalizing the storage and organization products for their rooms.

How do you help your children keep their space neat and tidy? Show us your organized kids’ rooms by sharing your photos on social media – we love seeing how you put Thirty-One’s  products to use. Tag us with #partywithHope

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

How to Make Your Own Swiffer Pads and Solution

Thank you bloglovin for today’s tip….

I will admit I love my Swifter. It makes things quick and easy on the hardwood floors.  I even have a Swifter Jet to do the kitchen floor.  So you can imagine how excited I was to find this inexpensive solution.

This is so much cheaper, with a mild scent and reusable cleaning pads.  I’m not usually one for making my own solutions BUT this seems easy enough….  It’s so simple, you’ll seriously wonder why you didn’t start making your own refills sooner.

For the cleaner, all you really need is water and white vinegar. Add a dash of dish soap to de-grease the floors and some essential oils for scent and shine. Pour the solution over your reusable rags and go to town. When you’re done, just toss the rag in the washing machine and use it again later.

If you have the Swiffer Sweeper, it’s easy to just cut up a couple of old rags for the pads. But if you have the Wet Jet, some people use chenille socks instead of terry towels. Just slip one over the Swiffer’s base and cut two small holes where the solution sprays out. And speaking of solution, to refill the Wet Jet’s bottle, submerge the cap in an inch of boiling water until the plastic softens (it should take about a minute). Then use your hands or a screw driver to gently pry off the cap. Refill the bottle with homemade solution and screw the cap back on. Voila!

Ingredients

2-3 old dish towels
1 cup water
1 cup white vinegar
3 drops dish soap
5 drops orange essential oil

Instructions

1. Trim dish towels to fit the base of your Swiffer. Fold towels and place in a plastic container.
2. In a small bowl, combine water, vinegar, dish soap and essential oils.
3. Pour solution over the towels.
4. Wash the floors as usual.
5. When you’re done, toss the cleaning pad into the washing machine and reuse.

Need a place to store your DIY kit?  Why not try Thirty One’s Double Duty Caddy

Whoever said you can’t take it with you didn’t know about the Double Duty Caddy. Picnic utensils, condiments, art supplies, cleaning supplies, baby needs, cosmetics and lots more are easily transported in this sturdy, structured carrier. With two separate interior compartments and 4 exterior mesh pockets, there’s plenty of room to take whatever you need with you when you’re on the go. Not going anywhere for a while? Keep it on the kitchen table, counter or in the cupboard to hold napkins, salt and pepper shakers, sugar and more, or put it in the bathroom to keep all your beauty products together and organized.

The best part is when you spend $35 in the month of JUNE (there is still time left!), you can get ANY product in the solid crosshatch print for 50% off.  What an amazing deal and a great way to stock up on some of your favorite organizing products.

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!